In our previous post in this series, we talked about the erroneous idea of ‘All or Naught’ which in essence was about sticking to either sides of an absolute pattern; you are either all in for something or you refuse to do it altogether.

But cognitive distortions are not merely about our decisions and the actions we take in regard to them. Sometimes, your brain compels you to filter out all the other aspects of something in favor of just one, which ultimately forces you to make a rash and unsophisticated decision.

This is what we call Mental Filters. These erroneous mind filters disturb your thought pattern and concentrate your energy on a single, usually negative, aspect of something, while you desperately try and fail to notice other viewpoints about the matter.

For instance, consider that you have been in a romantic relationship for the past couple of months. There are several positive aspects of the other person’s character that you find interesting and alluring, but you begin to notice a negative trait as well.

If you allow this negative trait to filter out all the other positive approaches, then you are afflicted with a cognitive distortion known as a mental filter. When your brain uses mental filters, your judgement is biased and unreliable, because you are not mentally equipped to evaluate all the important aspects of a certain thing.

The main problem with mental filters is that they are hard to notice and harder to fight. Sometimes, you do not even realize that you are looking at a certain thing with a mental filter that erases all the other aspects you need to consider.

Mental filters work like a hidden force. They are not easy to shake off. The first thing you need to do is notice that you are looking at something with prejudice and that you are willing to ignore all the other positive aspects because something is compelling you to only focus on the one negative aspect.

In the case of mental filters, we cannot really trust our emotions and sensations. Even though it may feel wrong, you need to listen to the voice of logic and give the weight of the argument to all the other aspects of a thing that may not echo as powerfully for you as the one distinctive aspect which overwhelms them all.

It is difficult to ignore mental filters, but if you listen to the voice of reason and logic, at least you know that you will make a decision that cannot easily harm your life and become an obstacle in your path.

I understand that it is hard to shake off mental filters, but trust me, you are stronger than the sum of your irrational thoughts. Trust yourself.

This will just be another challenge in a long list of other difficulties that you have successfully overcome.

I have been working very hard on this blog since the beginning. I have a very busy life but I am giving my best and believe me I have shared experiences that I have been coaching thousands of people and I know that the change of the Mindset should be daily. I am already grateful to see you giving upvotes to each other and you can see this with the fact that many already have 8, 9, 10 upvotes. But I'm sure that with the effort of all of us we will see a community with, 40, 50, 80 upvotes and for that everyone should get engaged so we can make it come true. I believe and we can! Resteem...

***Remember Community: Please, if you commented and upvote on a new post I did, please always go back to the previous one because if someone in the community commented lastly because of time zone differences it will be without your upvote and that would not be fair.

You all know the goal! We can reach: 50+ Upvotes each others!

Attention!!!

I'm reading all the meaningful comments from the posts.

I am here making a list of all of you who have helped build this community by voting for each other who write meaningful comments and soon I will respond to everyone with comment and thank you all because I can already see this spirit being built in this Positive Mindset community and help between all of you.

You will receive my upvote in all material and brief comments I will do this in all the posts I am following very closely and I can see what the people who are generous and contribute to this legacy that I am trying to build with all of you can become reality in a short time.

AND

First of all, I would like to thank all of you, who are the most active and proactive in this community, showing your generosity and always with meaningful comments. From now on I will always make a list of these incredible people who have helped to expand our goal of growing ever more.

But I ask that if you are new around here you read many of the previous posts because they make it clear that we are building a community with respect among all, generosity and this blog is for those who really want to start moving their Mindset to positive and moreover be part of the growth of all of us who contribute to this blog. Please do not ask to include you in the list if you are just wanting upvotes because we want here people genuinely attuned to growth and good attitudes and as I have always said with Respect as the basis of all, generosity and positivity!

ABOUT OUR LIST!!! WE NEED GROW THIS LIST! LET'S GO TOGETHER IN THIS COMMUNITY - RESTEEM!

Feel free if you want to be included in the list of contributors to this community. Just ask at the end of your comment.

i realise that i refuse to think insignificant thing that not really matter or important in that time . i only try to think important thing at that design time and try to solve them if needed. i find out that thinking is hard and sometimes will effect your mood for the whole day. those become a habit of mine until my friend didnt like those habit.

But , since i choose to think that way, my life become easier and im become more happy .

Good evening, I agree with you, we, human beings, we must trust in ourselves, in our ability to overcome adversity and make the right decisions that bring us well-being and happiness.

Throughout my life, I have lived, like all people, moments in which I highlight the negative part above the rest of the things that are positive, and I have always focused on seeing that negative side, wasting the opportunity, of being able to enjoy and enhance the positive part of the staff, places, etc.

People should try, as I said, take advantage of the opportunities that arise, have the mental capacity to make the best decisions and seek balance, where a balance is placed, the positive with the negative and, from there, the decision is made that we have better

This topic could relate me to my "no to processed and manufactured products ever". Our brain, our entire physical being are really much affected.
I'd been reading much about life and health. Those unnatural products made by man have really side effects that alters the content and value of natural things from nature.

I'd been brushing my teeth using commercial toothpastes for a long time since childhood but for more than a year now, with so much of my chemical sensitivity, I'm brushing my teeth with water and sometimes mix it with rock salt.
I guess many studies prove that fluoride is toxic to the brain.
Just one article you may want to read. But there are lots to read about.

Anyways, we have to be aware entirely from our innermost and from the outside, what's coming in and what's coming out. And analyse these things.

It is difficult to ignore mental filters, but if you listen to the voice of reason and logic, at least you know that you will make a decision that cannot easily harm your life and become an obstacle in your path.
This line is very much meaningful. Though its difficult to ignore but if we trust ourself then for sure it will be helpful for us. Thanks for thr post @chbartist

Yes it is right mental filters are really very harmful when these are in negative side. Mind us very powerful so it can be control us it is very important for us to use it's power wisely. Accessing a thing with mental filters is not good we have to consider other aspects as well to rate something. We have to take overall competition so we can take a decision.

The first thing you need to do is notice that you are looking at something with prejudice and that you are willing to ignore all the other positive aspects because something is compelling you to only focus on the one negative aspect.
True that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mental filters remind me of the ego. We are the thoughts that are above the thoughts. Once we become aware of the thought that is filtered, or what the ego is wanting, we become closer to our own true self and mission. Thoughts are the weights to the brain, making it stronger everything we notice :) I love this post, great read! Hope you have a great day and find lots to smile about :)!

Paying more attention to negative mind filters is probably one of the most reasons that breaks up or ruins marriages today, we see couples argueing and fighting on something they shouldnt and because of this innocent children are the ones being affected by this. Therefore errorneous mind filters not only lead us to make rash decisions it also affect those around us and make them suffer

Hello @chbartist! You never fail to enlighten me with your post! I think that mental distortion might be the reason why racial prejudice or discrimination happens in our world today. Like, if a person is Yemeni or a Muslim, the first thing that some people would think is, it must be a terrorist! Or, when someone is a Christian in the Middle East- especially Americans- some would think- they are here to spy on us and see how much oil , gold and other resources we have!

I understand what you mean, there may even be people who are there for that. But I know that most people in the world are good, people are who tend to look on the negative side rather than see the qualities of people. In my case I can say that I have been in many places in the world, I have always been respected because I know how to respect and I have never made a distinction between people regardless of their country or culture. Respect above all!

It is difficult for me to realize my thought is toward to a negative way sometimes. Then later, it is only after a relationship goes diffrent way that I think I am right. But, actually my negative thought leads to this ending. I will follow your advice from today to make a diffrence. Thank you for your sharing.

I am now doing some meditation and let go of the sources of the obstacles and burdens that are in my mind.It's very important to fileter the mind from time to time. As you empty your mind of the accumulated thoughts. you will start noticing yourself being more open and aware of the world that surrounds you. You will then find yourself able to live a life at your highest potential, full of energy, creativity and wisdom to face your life challenges. Stay positive and think of the bright side. Thank you for sharing this nice article.

lot of people are having difficulties to control their mind specially those people who are depressed or always thinking about negativities but I just wanna tell them that they should face the reality that they are a creature who is important in this planet.

the mental filter distortion focuses on a single negative and excludes all the positive.

By adjusting your automatic thoughts each day, you can influence your emotions and behaviors.

Try to identify the basis for your distorted thoughts, and then challenge them. What evidence do you truly have to support these beliefs? There are likely far more instances where you had success and things went well.

Seek the opinions of others about whether your thoughts and outlooks are accurate. If you truly believe that your colleagues have it in for you, refer to a few trusted peers for objectivity.

Rather than thinking about your situation in a black or white polarity, assess things on a scale of 0 to 100. Things not materialized can be seen as partial successes rather than failures.

In my opinion, the best project that we must have in our life is to reach a state of Serenity of mind, if we manage to reach this goal all the rest becomes easy to achieve with intelligence, and to arrive at the State of Serenity of Mind We must take care of the brain which is as you said the precious treasure we have in life.

I think that many of the mental filters are products of socially desirable conceptions and that the brain learns from a very early age; perhaps its purpose was to make us more cautious, that is, a defense mechanism. Mental filters are very strict censors that impede correct decision making.

I have to confess that I have a mental filter also, however I am aware of it, but I do my best to not let it effect my relationship with friends and family. I"m a private person so I guard my personal space carefully and thus the filters.

People, usually tend to give more importance to the negative side of things, always leaving out or giving less importance to positive things.

The example shown is very graphic, in a loving relationship we always see the two parts of the other person, positive and negative, but we always give more importance to the negative part, depriving us of living nicer situations and preventing us from doing Decisions, which are not always correct.

We must develop our mind and get rid of those complexes that deprive us of living better experiences throughout life.

A very inspiring post

Posts that give us the motivation to always reason and common sense. In the face of a bad situation we often lose our common sense so we cannot choose and find a solution well. We all need to train ourselves to always think using rational considerations. Although often the feeling will feel oppressed or feel sick. however, if we think further it will succeed in overcoming the problem well
Thank you @chbartist
thank you steemit
Warm greetings from Indonesia

To question a man's integrity, one must know the man. If you do not know if he is paying someone to write his articles for him than you do not know the man. If you do not know the man than the only thing you can say about someone you do not know is your opinion/perspective. Therefore to assume one person's perspective (your perspective) is the only logical explanation is unlogical. Operation under one's own opinion with the perspective that it the only logical answer, is the fools path. Stay in the middle and all things become possible. With respect @mazzle@chbartist

Unfortunately people have the bad habit of measuring us by their rules. This is the case of a comment that to me represents a person envious because it does not see itself able and for this it tries to denigrate the others before the frustrations of them. They should bother to develop, study, and work 16 to 18 hours a day as I do. As for you my friend @liberian thank you for your comment so accurate. We don't need peoples like this here. The door is open! Regards

Well that's a rude response. I'm not envious at all, and I find the accusation offensive. I'm simply curious about one person creating such a high frequency of posts that all end up on the trending page.

And I don't appreciate being told that I don't belong here given how much I have contributed to this platform over the past 18 months and the amount of support that I have personally provided to new users of the platform.

If Steemit is your full time job then I can see how you can create such a vast quantity of content. However, I don't agree with promoting posts in the manner that you do. By spending thousands of Steem on promotion, you are responsible for removing a huge amount of Steem from the rewards pool that would be better off going to those who are trying to earn something via organic votes.

But each to their own strategy. You be you. Even if you are paying others to create your content. Which isn't a far fetched conclusion given that I was here before you arrived on the platform and was witness to your first posts on Steemit.

I apologize if you found the answer rude, but do not understand it that way. If you read all my posts from the beginning especially those that I got down to the bottom in my life you would often know me better. I work 16 to 18 hours a day and I'm a working machine myself. If that is not possible for you in your thinking I respect, but I'm sorry but rude is kulgar someone you do not know the history of that person. I am here to contribute to everyone from the beginning and I have enough experience and honesty and respect to know what I am doing with my peace of mind on my pillow.
About promotions they are part of the platform, in addition I invested 100 steems in two weeks. Do you think it harms people? Please look at things from another angle and try to use a more appropriate vocabulary next time. I resposito your work and effort in steem and know that I am not disappointed with you. You have my support as many others have, but with a Positive Minset. You are very welcome and again I'm sorry you understood how rude my words but reread yours in your first comment. I believe that if you are a good person you will understand what I am saying and appreciate the simple fact that I am responding respectfully to you! Regards and Success.

I know all about mental filters. I have OCD and the filters there are almost non existant. You need to build them abd that is really hard. Imagine a normal person mental filter. It gets dusty overtime, needs cleaning. Now picture a filter of an ocd person. It gets clogged constantly. You cannot breathe until you do it. It is 100 times worse.

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